We Have No Idea What Software We're Paying For—And It's Not a Big Deal, Right?

You're not being careless. You're being practical. If staff can get their work done—even if they're using 6 different apps—you assume the cost of chaos is manageable.

But what if that "working" system is quietly costing you $12K–$20K/year in waste, OSFI fines, and client attrition—all while competitors automate their way to resilience?

In today's financial climate—where 40% of cyberattacks target small firms and OSFI expects demonstrable technology governance—you can't afford invisible SaaS sprawl.

The Hidden Cost of "If It Ain't Broke…"

Most Canadian financial firms operate with what we call "SaaS chaos":

  • Trading platform in one system, CRM in another, accounting elsewhere
  • Ex-staff still have access to client portfolios and financial data
  • Surprise $5,200 renewal charges hit credit cards quarterly
  • 3 data tools (Bloomberg, QuickBooks, custom DB) for the same workflows
  • No one knows how many apps the firm actually pays for

This isn't disorganization. It's revenue fragility—the invisible cost of letting software sprawl limit your capacity.

By the numbers (Canadian Financial Context):

  • 77% of firms don't know how many SaaS apps they use
  • 64% face OSFI/PIPEDA fines from inconsistent access controls
  • 59% lose $12K–$20K/year on unused licenses and duplicates
  • Avg. cost of a financial breach: $5.9M (highest of any industry)

And it's not your fault. You're optimizing for today's client flow. But tomorrow's volatility demands systems—not spreadsheets.

What Happens If an Ex-Employee Still Has Access to Our Trading Platform?

Michael left 3 months ago.
He had access to your trading platform, client portfolios, tax returns, and compliance documentation.

Did IT remove his access?
Oh right—you don't have IT.

This isn't paranoia. 77% of Canadian financial firms have ex-employees with active system access.
And it's not just data at risk—it's your license to operate, client trust, and revenue.

The Reality of Unmanaged SaaS:

When staff leave, financial firms lose more than headcount—they lose accountability.

  • 68% can't confirm all ex-staff access was revoked
  • 57% have no centralized app inventory
  • 49% discover duplicate tools only during audits
  • 41% have experienced surprise renewal charges

This isn't mismanagement. It's what happens when volatility outpaces tribal knowledge.

Three Existential Threats You Didn't See Coming

1. OSFI/PIPEDA Exposure

Ex-employees with active accounts = data breach waiting to happen. Cyber insurance increasingly requires access audits—or denies coverage.

2. Compliance Failure

OSFI, IIROC, provincial securities don't care if you "didn't know." Your untracked SaaS portfolio? A disqualifying red flag.

3. Budget Drain

Unused licenses + duplicate tools + auto-renewals = $12K–$20K/year average waste. That's not overhead—it's stolen client service capacity.

"But We Cancel Things When People Leave, Right?"

You try to. But without centralized management:

  • • Who owns that Bloomberg terminal account?
  • • Does anyone know the shared CRM password?
  • • Is that ex-analyst still in your tax software?

Real cost: One wealth management firm paid $15,200/year for tools no one used—and didn't know it until we scanned.

The Thing Nobody Told You

Financial data is a bullseye—not because you're targeted, but because it's immediately monetizable.
And every unmanaged SaaS app is a potential door left unlocked.

Real examples we've found:

  • 12 ex-employee accounts still active in trading/CRM systems
  • 4 duplicate communication tools costing $2,400/year
  • 18 unused licenses across portfolio tools ($3,800/year waste)
  • $5,200 surprise renewal for a tool no one used

This isn't fear-mongering. It's risk math:

  • $5.9M breach cost vs. $295/month protection
  • $500K OSFI fine vs. audit-ready access controls
  • $20K/year waste vs. revenue redirected to client service

"But Our Work Is Too Complex to Track"

So was everyone else's—until we mapped the job-to-be-done, not the job title.

What we typically find:

  • 50–70 total apps (most firms think they have 20–25)
  • 30–45% unused licenses you're still paying for
  • 8–12 ex-employee accounts with full financial data access
  • 4–6 apps doing the same thing (Zoom + Teams + Meet + Skype)

You don't need to manage everything. Just the high-risk, high-cost gaps that threaten client trust and revenue.

How It Works: Four Phases of Optimization

Phase 1: Discovery (Free, 24 Hours)

We connect to your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and scan for:

  • ✅ Every OAuth-connected app
  • ✅ Unused licenses across platforms
  • ✅ Ex-employee accounts still active
  • ✅ Duplicate tools (e.g., Zoom + Teams + Meet)
  • ✅ Shadow IT (unapproved apps)
  • ✅ Renewal dates + billing sources

Output: Full inventory + waste calculation ($X,XXX/year)

Phase 2: Quick Wins (Week 1)

Low-hanging fruit that saves immediately:

  • • Cancel 22 unused licenses → $3,800/year
  • • Remove 12 orphaned accounts → security risk eliminated
  • • Downgrade bloated Bloomberg plan → $2,200/year

Typical Month 1 savings: $6,000

Phase 3: Consolidation (Months 2–3)

Replace chaos with clarity:

  • • 4 communication tools → 1 unified platform
  • • 5 portfolio trackers → 1 organizational standard
  • • 6 reporting tools → 1 enterprise solution

Benefits: 30–50% cost reduction + easier training + better integration

Phase 4: Ongoing Management ($295/Month)

We handle it all so you never return to chaos:

  • New hire provisioning: Right apps, day 1
  • Departing staff offboarding: All access removed, same day
  • Renewal calendar: No surprise charges
  • Usage monitoring: Find waste quarterly
  • Vendor negotiations: We handle renewals
  • Security audits: Quarterly risk assessments

DIY SaaS Management vs. Managed Resilience

You could DIY your SaaS cleanup. But can your team—who's already stretched thin—really track 50–70 apps, manage quarterly renewals, and audit access rights forever?

FactorDIY ApproachManaged Resilience
Initial SetupFree discovery scanFree discovery scan
Ongoing Time Cost5–10 hrs/month (staff time)0 hrs (we handle it)
Waste RecoveryOne-time cleanup ($6,000)Continuous savings ($12K–$20K+/year)
SecurityManual offboarding (error-prone)Automated offboarding (same-day)
RenewalsSurprise charges likelyRenewal calendar (no surprises)
ComplianceSelf-reported (unverified)Audit-ready documentation
Grant EligibilityLimited (no ongoing proof)Proven governance (funder-ready)
Total Year 1 Value$6,000 savings$7,660 net savings + security + compliance

Staff time cost: 10 hrs/month = $4,200/year (at $52/hr finance wage)

Total Cost of Ownership: 22-Staff Example

Cost FactorDIYManaged
Discovery$0$0
Staff Time$4,200/yr$0
Service Fee$0$3,540/yr
Waste Recovered$6,000$15,200
Security Risk CostHigh (unquantified)$0
Grant FundingUnlikely$3,500 avg
Net Value$1,800$11,760

With grant funding: Managed service = $8,220 net benefit

Real Impact From Canadian Financial Firms

BeforeAfter
OSFI audit prep: 3 weeks of panic2 hours (audit-ready dashboards)
SaaS waste: $18K/year$0 waste (optimized licenses)
Ex-staff access: "We think it's revoked"Automated offboarding (zero risk)
Renewal surprises: Quarterly panicRenewal calendar (no surprises)
"When ransomware hit during quarter-end, our systems were back in 6 hours. Competitors lost 3 weeks of revenue—and client trust."

— Managing Partner, Toronto Wealth Management Firm

Investment Breakdown

ItemCostGrant-Funded?
Discovery Scan$0N/A
Managed Service$295/month ($3,540/year)✅ Yes (92% success)
Total Year 1 (after grants)$0–$120Likely $0

Most clients pay $0 out of pocket Year 1

92% of our SaaS clients secure funding. We help via ImpactPlexus.org.

Our Guarantees

Savings Guarantee

If we don't find at least 15% savings, pay nothing

90-Day Money-Back

Not satisfied? Full refund

Zero Data Loss

We preserve all your data during consolidation

Turn SaaS Chaos into Client Service Funding

Free scan → immediate savings → ongoing optimization—with grant funding support

No credit card. No sales pitch. Just clarity.